Deleted Scenes
by LuKEN
Summary: As every year on Christmas Eve, something new on Nina. Although, this has been written a long time ago and falls into the time frame of Never Change Faces. Just some bonus scenes to explain what was left unexplained.
1. Scene 1

Title: Deleted Scenes

Summary: As the title suggests these are some 'deleted scenes' from _Never Change Faces_, my AU take on season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't own _24 _or any of its characters, this is a work of fan fiction, I don't make any money with it. Original characters belong to me tough, so please ask for permission in case you want to borrow them. :-p

Author's note: Since there were so many questions left unanswered in _NCF_ I decided to shed some light on at least some aspects, particularly with regard to the last chapters. You do not need to have read _Interrogation Series _(prequel to _NCF_) but it might help understanding what the whole deal with Nick and Phil is about. However, keep in mind that there's a time gap between each part.

* * *

_A few hours prior to NCF…_

**Scene 1: Packing Light**

_Nick ran a hand through his hair, thinking once more that it would have been better to keep quiet. But, also once more, an inner voice instantly objected. Phil deserved to know that this was the last time they would ever see each other, and Nick needed to tell him why. _

_He looked up again. Phil still hadn't said a word. They had been sitting here for what seemed like hours and he had done all the talking while Phil had just listened in complete silence. Now, Nick had completely run out of things to say and was waiting for a reaction. Something more giving than his friend's face expression which had gone back and forth between complete shock and an incredulous frown while digesting what he was being told, without any comments, without asking a single question. Nick had tried to give all the answers though, explained as best as he could. How he had met Nina for the first time, what he had thought of her, how he had seen her again, some months later, how he had left Division. How he had kept running into her and how things had taken this weird turn. Phil already knew how he had helped her back then after the shooting at the hotel, so he tried to explain why he had done it instead. It had become harder to find words and sentences after that, the closer he had come to the more recent events. But he had managed somehow, and now it was done. He hadn't left out a thing. Not about Nina, not about himself. And all the while, Phil hadn't said a word. He didn't now either, but he gave Nick a long look and then suddenly got up from where he was sitting, an armchair in the middle of the living room, turned around and walked over to the window where he kept standing in silence for a long time. "When I asked you why I had to pull a bullet out of her leg, you told me it was better for me not to know. And when I asked you who she is, you gave me the same answer again."Because it was true, Nick thought but couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. "So what's changed? Why telling me now?" Nick lowered his gaze to the floor although Phil wasn't even looking at him, still peering out through the window. "Because I'm a selfish bastard." He was. Nothing had changed, of course. It would still be best for Phil not to know. "That you are," Phil agreed, his voice bearing a mix of anger and sadness. And again there was a heavy silence between them, lasting so long Nick started to wonder if his friend was maybe waiting for him to get up and leave. But apparently, he wasn't. "So what do you want me to say?" Phil asked, turning around and finally facing him again. "Do you expect me to give you my blessings, tell you how disgusted I am or just punch you in the face?" I don't know, Nick wanted to say, but knew that wasn't good enough. "All of it?" Yeah, that was much better._

He woke with a jolt when the driver hit the brakes. "Idiot!" he yelled at some unknown third party.

Nick rubbed his temple where it had collided with the window and noticed the brief glance the driver darted at him through the rearview mirror. No apology or sign of politeness followed though. _Definitely back home. _

He leaned forward to read the digital watch on the dashboard. Almost 7 p.m. That made it around 4 in the morning for him. No wonder he had dozed off. But he seemed to have woken up just in time.

"Here we are," the driver announced, stopping the car slightly gentler this time. Nick paid and grabbed his traveling bag, getting out of the car the same moment Phil came out of his house, a big smile on his face.

"Sorry, Phil, didn't think it was gonna get this late but my flight was delayed."

"Yeah, damn domestic flights. What else is new?" Phil remarked offhandedly, eyeing the single bag in Nick's hand. "Is that all?"

"Yeah, why?" Nick wondered confused.

"Nah, I thought you were just stopping by on your way to somewhere. Figured you were going on vacation which usually means more clothes, more bags…"

"I'm packing light," Nick explained relieved. "Better on the back."

"Alright, let's get in then. You look tired. Working too much?"

"Yeah. How's Eileen?" he countered, eager to change the subject. He wasn't used to lying to Phil and as tired as he was, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to keep his stories straight. _Just don't mention coming straight from Africa, don't mention leaving forever and you'll be fine_, he encouraged himself, following Phil inside who kept talking about Eileen calling from San Diego an hour ago where she was staying with her aunt who'd broken a leg and how the cast was killing her.

Nick suppressed a yawn. It would be hard to hide his jetlag but he couldn't let it show. At least not until he had decided whether he was going to tell Phil or not.

Almost 7 p.m. Nina had let on that the first part of the deal would go down tonight. She would call him when it was done. He could only hope everything would go as planned.


	2. Scene 2

_Right before Chapter 1/NCF…_

**Scene 2: All In**

"I don't like jumping through all these hoops."

"The hoops are here to protect us, Nina. Just wait here for my call."

She watched him turn around and walk out, and she knew Amador was right. Of course, he was right. But ever since she had seen Jack – she couldn't help but wanting to get away, as far and as quickly as possible. The problem was she couldn't. Not yet. She didn't care about what happened to the virus in the long run, if Jack wanted it so badly he could have it and take it back to CTU, receiving yet another pat on the back for his latest score. She didn't care. She just needed to get her deal done. She needed that money.

_If something goes wrong_, Nick's words echoed in her mind. Jack showing up at the auction probably counted as something going wrong. Terribly wrong.

_I don't work for CTU anymore, Nina. I work for myself. _Right. It was so ridiculous it wasn't even worth giving it a thought. But him being there changed everything and she had to think about her chances of getting out of this with her head on her shoulders and the money in her account.

Had her first instinct been right? Should she have walked out no matter what?

The problem was if CTU was involved and in the area, they wouldn't just let her walk away anyway. They would wait for her somewhere out of sight and try to arrest her. And as things were right now she didn't have anything else to protect herself but the gun in her briefcase and the firepower of her men. Not exactly reassuring. And even if she got away – Amador had a point: her client wouldn't be too happy. And even if she could becalm him, she had been waiting too long for this chance to come along. She couldn't go back to sitting around and waiting, doing small jobs that slowly sapped her energy without getting her anywhere near...

_Too many 'even if's_, she decided. Right now, staying was the better option. Knowing Amador she could at least be sure that they were safe for the moment. He was so careful when it came to his arrangements - it bordered on paranoia.

_Then why did he bring Jack in on this? _She could see why he should bring in a second buyer. Raising the price for the virus inevitably benefited him and therefore, of course, even her. If they were still on the same page on this. But why Jack? Amador knew who he was. Did he honestly think Jack had crossed over to the dark side? He couldn't be that naïve. But why else would he take such a risk?

She had tried to confront him but there had been too many people around. And after the auction, there didn't seem to be a point to it anymore. She had won, and either Amador really believed Jack or he was trying to double-cross her. In the first case, it was useless trying to convince him otherwise. The damage was already done. And in fact, if she did convince him, Amador might panic and blow the whole thing off. Not exactly what she wanted.

_And if he's trying to double-cross you? _Well, in that case he would hardly admit to it, would he? But she couldn't see either why or how he would do so. So she had to assume that they were still in this together. And since Amador wouldn't want to get arrested by CTU either, she could count on him to get them out of there after the deal was done.

No, she didn't have to worry about him that much. The question of much more importance was where was Jack? He had lost the auction, but he wouldn't just leave and go home. He had to accomplish a mission. And knowing him the way she did, she had a pretty good idea how far he was willing to go to do so.

_So what are you going to do, Jack? _she tried to figure out his next move. There weren't too many options really. If he wanted to get the virus, for CTU or for himself, he would either have to come after her or Amador. Going after her would give him an opportunity to finally carry out his revenge. She had seen the glinting in his eyes. But she didn't have the virus yet. It made more sense to go after Amador. And luckily for both of them she could trust that he was capable of protecting himself.

_You're missing one factor of the equation though, _she reminded herself, one she couldn't quite figure out yet. _The Salazars_. What impact did they have on the outcome? If she wanted to know exactly what game she was playing and how she could play it best, she had to understand the significance of each player. And she better did so fast because there was no middle ground between win and lose anymore. She had passed on the opportunity to fold and now, the circumstances not giving her much of a choice, now she was all in.

When she heard the first shot being fired outside, she knew there was no sense in denying it anymore: something had definitely gone wrong. Things wouldn't go as planned. And the same second she reached for her gun, she also knew for sure that she had already made her first mistake today. She should have killed Jack the second she had caught sight of him. But Amador's remark had made her hesitate. _First man who fires gets cut down, that's a promise. _She had taken it as a subtle hint that he needed a second bidder to raise the stakes. Their stakes. The more money she would ask her client for when she called in, the more money would end up in their own pockets. He had a point. She could have ignored it, of course. Safety first. But by the time she had finished that line of thought it had been too late. She had hesitated, and with all those guns and trigger-happy guys around the risk of getting herself killed in a major shootout had been too high. Now she had to deal with the repercussions.


	3. Scene 3

_Right after chapter 2/NCF…_

**Scene 3: Detach And Reattach**

She kept staring after him as Jack went over to Ramon, leaving her to herself for right now. She could use a quiet moment to think things through again, but she was still too fascinated by Jack's response to her little speech.

_You believe whatever you want to, Jack, but deep down you know I'm right._ She wasn't sure what had made her say it, why she had to call him on it now of all times._ Tell me you feel anything when you're not risking everything._ But she knew she was right. And judging by the way Jack hadn't been able to get away from her fast enough, he knew it as well._ I'm not saying it's the only reason. But a part of us...needs it._

She knew she did. And thinking of the reason why she was here, thinking that it would most likely be her last job, she also knew that a part of her would miss it. She could only hope she wouldn't fall into another depression. _No, you won't. _Because this time it was different. Back in Tunisia, she didn't have a goal, didn't have a plan. She had nothing that could have filled the sudden void in her life, in her. But now she did. Now she had…

She stopped before her brain could finish the thought. This was going to be her last job. Either because she would get out and turn her back on all this or because Jack would finally make his dream come true and kill her. If she wanted it to be for the first reason, she had to ban everything from her mind that could distract her. She had sold out and been sold out, she had double-crossed and been double-crossed before. The stakes had always been high. But nothing had ever been remotely close to what she was up against now. This was it. She had fought at two fronts at the same time before. Efficiently and successfully most of the time, playing along and letting people play her as long as it served her agenda. But now she was in the middle of a brawl where anyone could lash out against anybody any given moment. She had to fight at and guard multiple fronts. There was CTU, not too close yet but somewhere in the area. Then there were the Salazars who would kill her without hesitation the second she could deliver the virus. And then, of course, there was Jack. Her biggest concern, undoubtedly, but she couldn't let that distract her either. She had to stay alert to each of those threats, be prepared for attacks from all sides. And on top of all that, she had to control Amador. She would need him to get out of here once they had the virus and the money, which meant she would have to let him in on some of her knowledge concerning Jack's still very loyal affiliation to CTU. But if she revealed too much or too early there was still the risk of him calling the whole deal off. She was in for the game of her life.

She sighed and let her gaze stray away from Jack. _Do whatever you have to_, Nick had told her. _Just promise to come back. _She certainly had every intention to. But the only way to do so was to shut everything out that had to do with him, everything he had touched in her, everything he had changed in her. For the next few hours, she would have to detach herself completely from the person she had become with him. Anything else would get her killed.

She closed her eyes for a second, spending one last thought on why she was doing this. But when she looked up again, peering over to where Ramon and Jack were standing, her mind was already busy on going over possible scenarios again.


	4. Scene 4

_During chapter 4/NCF…_

**Scene 4: Just Checking**

It was past midnight and Phil had gone to bed a while ago. He had to work tomorrow morning or, as he had put it, to _at least swing by at the hospital to check on everything_. So now it was only Nick still sitting up. The jetlag was still bugging him and now that he could actually get some sleep, he wasn't tired anymore. Which was okay, though, he didn't want to be asleep now anyway.

He checked the display of his cell phone again. Shouldn't he have heard from Nina by now? He wondered where she was. Mexico. That was all he knew. She was somewhere down in Mexico and she was supposed to call him as soon as the first part was over. He wished he knew more, fully aware that he had only himself to blame for not doing so. _Just tell me what I need to know, I don't wanna hear about the rest. _

He shook his head and bent down to get the laptop out of his traveling bag. Better to focus on the few things he did know.

He set the computer up and went online, entered the password Nina had given him and waited impatiently while the server established the requested connection. The account was empty, of course.

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. What else had he been expecting? If the money was already there, it would mean Nina had finished the deal and in that case she would have called already. _Yeah, or it would mean she decided not to call. _

He bit his tongue. He didn't want to go there. But a part of him couldn't help it. A part of him couldn't stop thinking that there was a small chance that she would let him down. That she would not call him and not wait for him, that she would just take the money and disappear alone, leaving him behind. _It's stupid. Why should she? _Why had she told him about it in the first place then? If she wanted to abandon him, she could have just said it was a job like any other.

_She's not gonna abandon me_, he tried to put an end to his inner dialogue. _She's not. _

But deep down he knew, he wouldn't be 100 sure until the moment he was with her again. Not because he thought she didn't care about him and would betray him like she had betrayed so many other people in her life, but because he knew she did care. Because he knew she sometimes thought he would be better off without her. She wouldn't admit to it when he asked her, but he knew it. He knew her.

He had decided not to tell Phil. He couldn't. It wouldn't be fair because it would only be to ease his own mind, not to make it easier on his friend. His friend who had already risked a lot for him and who didn't need to get in trouble any more. If he knew about Nina, if he knew about Nick helping her, being with her – it would only get him in trouble in case the authorities could identify him. If they had Nick's name, they would soon come across Phil's as well, and he couldn't do that to neither him nor Eileen. He couldn't drag anyone into this, especially not the one person he had always been so close to. It wouldn't be fair.

He disconnected the computer and checked the time again. Still nothing from Nina. When exactly should he start to get nervous?


	5. Scene 5

_Right between chapters 5 and6/NCF…_

**Scene 5: Confirmation**

Nina looked up from the equipment set up in front of her to steal a glance at Amador. He was talking on the phone, giving his people the order to take out the Salazars and everybody with them. She couldn't smother a sigh of relief. So many things she didn't have to worry about anymore. If the brothers were gonna kill each other or not, if Jack would manage to take care of them before she got back or not, how he would try to kill her once she had the virus. Things would finally run smoothly again, and she could focus on dealing with Amador.

She was relieved it had worked out so well. Amador didn't seem to blame her for what had happened, and he was playing his part just as he had all night. It seemed a bit off to act as if they were really going through with the auction and the exchange, down to the point where she had to confirm the virus first and then take it with before they parted. But he had insisted on the charade. No one was to know about their little bargain, not even his own men. She had agreed because she understood how important it was for him to wash his hands clean of this. All the blame would be on her, which didn't matter because she would be long gone. But he wanted to stay in business, he couldn't afford to be pointed out as her accomplice.

She shifted her gaze back to the viol in front of her that was still being analyzed, its lucid content being illuminated by the flickering light of the machine._ All because of this._

She had hesitated when Amador had handed it to her, shivering inwardly at the sight of this small object that held enough power to wipe out millions. And for a second it had been hard to maintain control and not let her emotions rise to the surface. But she couldn't afford it. Not yet. Not until they had confirmation that Jack and the Salazars were not a problem anymore, and not until all of this was over.

She kept looking at the virus while the first gun shots were being fired in the distance.


	6. Scene 6

_During chapter 13/NCF…_

**Scene 6: Noises In The Dark**

The buzzing sound of his cell, vibrating where it was lying on the wooden table, almost made him jump in the dark. _Finally! _He quickly reached for the device and flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"It's me," he heard her voice, sounding tired and a bit tense.

"How are things going?" he hurried to ask.

"Good," came her brief answer, followed by silence.

_You don't sound 'good'_.

"There were a few complications," she admitted, sounding even more exhausted, "but it's over now. It's done."

"You mean the first part of the deal," he remarked, hitting a key on the laptop to make the screen come alive and bring some light to the room.

"No, I mean all of it. It's done."

He frowned. "I thought you said it was at least gonna take until tomorrow?"

"Yeah," she replied evasively, adopting a very business-like tone. "I need you to get into the account and transfer the money."

"Okay."

"Now," she emphasized.

"Okay," he reassured, reaching for the keypad in front of him. "I'm working on it as we speak."

"Good."

Again there was silence while he waited to be asked for account number and password.

"So, where are you?"

"Not too far from you actually, we just flew in," she explained, seeming a bit absentminded, and he could picture her standing somewhere with her cell phone, her arms folded, her eyes wandering round the room or place, her upper body slightly swaying as she waited impatiently.

He punched the numbers in and completed the log-in.

"When can I see you??"

"I think it's still best to travel separately and meet up in Peru."

"Okay," he agreed, knowing there was no meaning in trying to debate her on this. "So I'm gonna take the flight tomorrow afternoon and wait for you in Lima."

"Yes."

He entered another sequence of numbers, hit the return button and sat back in his chair. What had happened that she was still that tense although everything was over.

"Nina, what's going on?"

"Nothing," she stated dismissively. "We're just packing up, we're about to leave."

"Leave from where?" he insisted, starting to worry. "I thought you said you'd call when you're somewhere safe."

"That was the plan." He could hear her sigh. "But I got a little delayed, I thought it would be better to call you now instead of waiting and keeping you worried," she explained, her voice softer now.

He closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into his cell. "I was just…"

"I know. But there's no need to. I'm just still a bit edgy. I'm alright. Everything's fine."

"Okay." He tilted his head and after a moment started to work the keypad again, punching the last series of numbers in. "So when can I expect to see you?"

"I won't be long," she assured, sounding somewhat distracted though. "Hold on."

_Sure_, he thought, hitting the return key one last time, and waited. She was calling someone's name. _Benny? Danny?_ He was just thinking that he'd imagined the guys working for her to have somewhat tougher names when the banging sounds and the pain-stricken cry he heard over the phone made him freeze. In the silence thereafter, time wasn't standing still but his brain seemed to work unbearably slow.

_Gunshots! _

The banging sounds – it had been gunshots. And the cry…

_No. Please no… _

"Nina?" he whispered into the silence, suddenly awfully aware of the darkness around him. "Nina?" As a child, for a brief period, he had been terribly afraid of noises in the dark. "Nina?" Now there was nothing. No answer, no sound.

Holding his breath, he moved his hand to have a look at the cell's display.

The call had been disconnected. There was no one there to answer.

He stared at the phone in his hand, reluctantly starting to breathe again, feeling how everything just slipped away from him. What eventually snapped him out of this state was another sound, but not the one he'd been waiting, praying for.

A message popped up on the screen in front of him, confirming that his transfers had been successfully completed.


	7. Scene 7

_Between chapters 16 and 17/NCF…_

**Scene 7: Guess Who**

Something hit his shoulder and Nick woke with a jolt.

"What…"

It was Phil, standing over him and giving him a glare that augured nothing good.

"Wanna tell me what's going on?"

Nick sat up, noticing the bright daylight coming in through the window. So he had dozed off after all. He had stayed in that chair all night, staring at his cell phone, waiting, praying for Nina to call and tell him it wasn't gunshots he had heard right before they had been disconnected, that she was fine, that everything was going to be alright. But she hadn't called and the silence and the helplessness had been too much for him, the knowledge that there was nothing he could do.

He ran a hand over his face, stalling to dispel the panic from his face and voice.

"I don't know," he explained, trying to sound just tired and a bit worn down. He was sure to look exactly like that. "I must have eaten something wrong. Airline food, what can I say…"

"Shut up," Phil cut him off brusquely. "Don't lie to me. I don't deserve it."

Nick just stared at him, too perplex to react in any way.

"So you wanna start telling me the truth?"

He couldn't remember ever having seen his friend so angry.

"Alright," Phil broke the silence, "let me help you out then. Last year, you call me and when I get there you're with a woman who's been shot. The same time the whole area is overrun with cops and feds and who knows what else. You ask me to help her, so, I do. You ask me not to ask questions, for my own good, so, I don't. You leave again, you get settled for a while, then you show up again yesterday being in a particular good but very nostalgic mood. This morning, though, you suddenly look like crap and tell me you're sick. And when I get to the hospital – guess who's there?"

Nick felt his eyes shooting out of their sockets as he tried to read in his friend's face, waiting for him to continue but at the same time afraid it wasn't true. Could it be?

"She's there?" he finally asked, his voice so brittle he could hardly hear it himself. He cleared his throat, still waiting as Phil hesitated, still glaring at him in such anger. But then something else blended into it.

"Yes."

"How is she?"

"Alive for the moment."

Nick felt a shiver running through his body, a tingling that made his fingers shake and his head feel light. He opened his mouth to say something but couldn't, relief washing over him and taking everything else away for a moment._ She's alive. At least she's alive._

"You didn't know?"

He looked up at Phil again who seemed insecure, his face showing less anger.

"What's going on here, Nick?"

Nick shook his head. "I can't tell you."

"Oh, yes, you can," Phil objected. "Because whatever it is I'm not supposed to know about, I'm guessing I already am in way too deep."


	8. Scene 8

_Between chapters 16 and 17/NCF…_

**Scene 8: Alone**

Phil got up from the couch on which he had sat down a while ago and started pacing the room.

"I don't know what to say. I really don't."

_I wouldn't either_, Nick thought to himself. If anyone had told him what he had just revealed to Phil – he couldn't even begin to imagine his reaction.

"How deep are you in this? I mean…" Phil stopped pacing. "Would anyone come after you, if you walked away now?"

Nick shook his head. "No."

"Will you?"

_Walk away? _He buried his head in his hands and after a while heard his friend moving again, taking a few steps, then standing still again.

"You damn idiot," Phil hissed. "How could you…"

Another long silence fell over the room.

"They weren't sure if she's gonna make it but she was out of surgery when I left. They isolated her somewhere, and there are cops and guys in dark suits everywhere. That's all I know."

Nick still didn't dare to look up.

"I'm gonna go now, call Eileen, tell her I'm coming up to see her." Phil moved towards the door. "Considering everything I know and did, it's probably best for me not to be around."

_Yes. _It probably was.


	9. Scene 9

_Between chapters 16 and 17/NCF…_

**Scene 9: Waving The Bait**

Nick took a deep breath and pulled the baseball cap further down, fully aware though that there was no need to hide his face. No one was after him. _Yet._

He walked into the entrance and made his way to the information desk.

"Hi. I'm looking for Lucas Treback."

"A patient?" an obviously sulky woman asked in return.

"No, he works here. He's a nurse in post-op."

He had to struggle not to grin at this. Lucas Treback had been the biggest jerk back in school, the guy who used to beat him and Phil up, good at sports and schoolyard fighting, but not the smartest kid otherwise. Not that he had given him much thought ever since he had left for college, but he probably would have pictured him as a construction worker, truck driver or something equally manly. That Lucas had become a nurse seemed like some kind of twisted fate's irony.

"He's on his lunch break," came the information he had been looking for, and the woman gestured towards the entrance. "Try the diner cross the street. Most of our staffers go there."

"Thank you."

While walking out again and over the street, he wondered if Phil would be there by now. He had started packing right after calling Eileen, and Nick had waited in the kitchen, brooding over a cup of coffee until his friend had slumped onto the chair next to him. They had sat in silence for a long time, neither of them looking up. _I'm sorry about all this_, Nick had finally stated, and Phil had only shook his head. He didn't understand it and he wasn't sure he ever would, but who was he to judge him. He had to go now, a spare key was under the rug, he had declared, both of them getting up from the table, both aware that it might be the last time they ever saw each other. For an awkward moment they had searched for something more to say but then realized the other one already knew anyway.

On the doorstep Phil had stopped one more time, muttering Lucas' name over his shoulder. _Remember him? I probably shouldn't tell you but…he's working at the hospital too. _Then he had left.

Nick entered the diner, and looking around he recognized Lucas right away. He seemed more grown-up and even handsome in some way, but there was still something about him that Nick would always have recognized. Even now, sitting alone in one of the booths, eating his sandwich and drinking his coffee, Lucas was so clearly carrying the stigma of someone who was used to watching his own back and fighting for himself, used to getting kicked by those who were stronger and kick those who were weaker. Some things never changed.

"Lucas," he said without any warning and slid onto the seat across the table.

"Do I…" Lucas started irritated but then sneered as he recognized his adversary. "Well, well, look at you. What a nice surprise. Nick Sturges."

Nick revealed a thin smile. There was no use in faking friendly feelings for the guy but he had to get him on board if he wanted to go along with this madness.

"Haven't seen you in what…fifteen years?" The sneer disappeared from Lucas' face. "What do you want?"

"Make you an offer."

"An offer?" Lucas snorted in contempt, looking him up and down, his gaze resting on the worn-out shirt and leather jacket for a moment, a loan from Phil's wardrobe. "And what would that be? I got all I need."

Nick cast his eyes round the room, conspiratorially leaning closer over the table before he continued.

"I'm not here to sell you anything. Although I do sell things. News. Pictures."

"Really," Lucas remarked mockingly while chewing his sandwich. "What, are you some kind of paparazzi?" Again that snorting. "There ain't no celebrities around here. You're in the wrong diner."

"I don't think I am. And I'm not looking for celebrities."

"You know, back in school, you were all about good grades and stuff. So ambitious. What was it you wanted to become? Some kind of shrink? Didn't work out, huh? So now you're shooting photos, sneaking around in people's lives."

Nick swallowed the replies that came to his mind. _Not the time to put him in his place. _

"I'm guessing you noticed the increased security when you started your shift this morning," he stated unmoved, still keeping his voice low. "Did you wonder why that is?"

Lucas stared for a second, then returned to sneering at him.

"So that's the story you're looking for, Mr. I'm-so-much-better-than-you-reporter?"

"I already got the story," Nick shrugged. "You got a suspect in there. A woman held in custody by a federal agency."

Again the sneer faded from Lucas' face.

"Now, what I need is a photo."

"How did you know I'm working here? How did you know when my shift started?" Lucas asked after a few seconds which it took him to get over his surprise.

Nick grinned at him. "I'm sneaking around. I know where people live, how they live, where they work, what's in their bank accounts – it's my job."

He had driven by Lucas' place after a glance in the local phone book, and all it had taken him to find out about his work schedule was one phone call to an extremely chatty girl in the staff department. He had no idea about the bank account, but considering what he had seen so far it couldn't be too impressive.

"Look," he continued, determined to strike while the iron was hot. "I can't tell you any details before the story goes into print, but this is big. And we're talking national coverage here. This will be all over the news when it gets out and if we play it right we can be rich men by then."

"We?" Lucas snorted, but it was obvious that he had started to swallow the bait.

"Well," Nick smiled, "I have the contacts to sell the photo and get the money, but I need someone to get me close enough to shoot the damn picture."

Greed sparkled in Lucas' eyes and Nick knew he had him exactly where he wanted him. _That's right. Take a big bite. _

"How much money are we talking about?" Lucas asked in a low whisper, leaning closer now as well. This was almost too easy.

"Couple of hundred thousands, a million maybe."

"Dollars?"

"Depends on how close you can get me," Nick nodded.

Lucas put his sandwich down, staring at him skeptically.

"Why would anyone pay that much money? What's so important about that chick?"

Nick had another look around before he answered. "A couple of months ago someone within the CIA was leaking information to the press. About some high-ranking officials in our government taking bribes. Heard about it?"

"Sure," Lucas replied, not very convincingly though. _Yeah, didn't think you'd follow the news much_, Nick thought satisfied.

"Some people were really pissed off about it," he continued, realizing the irony of his made-up story. It was the first thing that had come to his mind. He hadn't really thought about it. "She was the leak. You think it's a coincidence she turned up more dead than alive?"

"So, this is…"

"A cover-up," he confirmed. "Trust me, this gets out – there'll be nothing else on TV or in the newspapers for days."

Lucas leaned back, his thoughts obvious in his expression.

_That's good_, Nick reassured himself. _He believes you and he thinks you need him. Let him think he's in control. _

"I don't know, man, I need to think about it," Lucas pretended as expected. "I mean, how much is there in it for me?"

"Ten percent?" Nick offered, estimating Lucas was the kind of guy who wouldn't go along without a good deal of bargaining.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Alright, twenty. That's the usual rate."

Lucas pulled a face. "Doesn't seem right to me. I have to get you past the security, put my job on the line…and all you have to do is make a stupid photo?" He shook his head. "Doesn't seem right to me."

Nick did his best to seem unhappy about this. "Then tell me what you have in mind." _Good. Let him think you fold._

"How about we split 50-50. Sounds fair to me."

"60-40," he offered at least some resistance, glancing at his watch to implicate he was in a hurry.

"50-50 or find someone else."

"Okay," Nick grumbled after a moment.

Gloating over his victory, Lucas grinned for a while before a frown appeared on his face.

"So, how do we do this?"


	10. Scene 10

_Between chapters 16 and 17/NCF…_

**Scene 10: Details**

He ran a finger along the line of book spines on the shelf, soon finding what he had been looking for. Walking back to the desk he started leafing through the pages. _Come on. Think! _He had hoped the name would come to him, that he would recognize it somewhere. But there were way too many pages. It would take him too long to go through all the possible drugs.

He sat down and placed the reference book on the table, leaned back, and closed his eyes. _You've done this before. Just focus. _

He took a deep breath and suddenly he could see it. The monitors in front of him, showing feeds from the cameras in the room next door, making it seem bigger and even darker. Even creepier. He was sitting in the surveillance booth, only a wall separating him from what was going on right in front of him on the screen._ I want you to listen to me carefully_, the gloomy figure of the interrogator said in his memory, leaning closer to his suspect. _Right after I inject this into your bloodstream, _he pointed to the syringe in his hand, _you'll feel more pain than you could ever have imagined. Now, I know it's gonna be hard to focus under the circumstances, but as soon as you get it together and tell me what I want to know, I'm gonna give you this._ He revealed an innocent looking ampoule in his other hand. _You'll be out within seconds. No more pain, no more suffering._ Nick swallowed, trying to control his flashback. What he was looking for had been on the table in front of him. A standard folder with the suspect's file. He could see the print-out with the picture in the right top corner. He imagined his hands turning the pages, skipping to the interrogation report he would sign later on. Names and dates, times of the day. The protocol. There it was!

He opened his eyes and reached for the book again, quickly finding the right page. He held his breath as he was reading. It wasn't the most common anesthetic but he found references to drugs with a similar effect. All he had to do was to check for the right dosage. _God bless the internet. _

His cell phone rang and after a quick glance at the display he answered. "So?"

"Man! Was harder than I thought. I better hope you're not lying about this being a big thing and all."

Nick rolled his eyes. He could only hope Lucas wouldn't chicken out.

"What did you find out?"

"They put her in a room on the fifth floor and moved all patients to other departments. One of my pals is in post-op, he's been up there during his shift."

"What's the security like?"

"He says there are two guards in front of her room, another one by the elevator. And they seemed to talk a lot on the radio."

"With people downstairs?"

"He didn't say. Is that important?"

_Only if I can get in there_, Nick thought.

"Is there a way you can change shifts with anyone?" he ignored Lucas' question.

"I don't know."

"We'll only get the money if I get to make that photo."

"I'll try, ok?" Lucas replied defensively. "Chill."

_Sure. With this whole operation depending on someone who's brain isn't bigger than… _He took a deep breath. Lucas was right. He had to stay calm.

"Alright. When are you off tonight?"

"I'm already off but I got plans. Gonna go and grab a couple of beers with…"

"Forget it," he cut him off, a bit too brusquely. "You can drink champagne when this is over," he tried to fix it.

Silence on the other end of the line.

"Come on. We need to go over some stuff. I need your help here."

"Okay," Lucas generously agreed after a few seconds. Nick could imagine the expression on his face. _That little jerk is enjoying this. _Well, whatever made him happy. As long as he was getting him into the hospital and that room on the fifth floor.

"I'll be over around six."

They hung up and Nick finished the list of anesthetics he had started writing down, then looked at the other sheet before him. Still empty. He needed some more details from Lucas. Getting inside was the first of two worries. The second was to get out again.


	11. Scene 11

_Between chapters 16 and 17/NCF…_

**Scene 11: Ifs And Other Problems**

Nick yawned and stretched his stiff neck from side to side. It was long past midnight and he knew he needed to give his body and brain some rest now or he would crash sooner or later, but there was still a part of his plan he hadn't figured out. An important part.

_Alright, let's give this one more try._

He looked at the sheet of paper in front of him. He had figured out how to get inside the hospital and up to the floor. Lucas was the key to that. He had also managed to gather some information about a possible way out without getting his 'partner' suspicious. A few questions asked in passing, another detour on his way back, a walk past the hospital parking and the entranceway to the garage. _The ambulances are parked there when they aren't in action. _Lucas had been pretty chatty after his second beer. Somewhere along the line he had obviously started to enjoy this little adventure, and not just because it meant that Nick was depending on him. It was probably the most exciting thing that had happened to him since high school. _Someone might be checking up on the car and equipment but otherwise there's not much going on down there. _

So the basement and the garage should be clear. Once on the floor, he could get Nina into the maintenance elevator. _Provided she's in a condition to go anywhere._ The only thing Lucas had been able to find out without raising suspicions was that she had made it through surgery and was stabilized for the moment.

Nick sighed. _Well, at least they won't be able to ship her off to L.A. or anywhere else right away. _He had to focus on something positive because if he didn't manage to get to her now, there wouldn't be another chance. Once they transferred her she would be out of reach and the more time he had to plan this, the better.

He stared at the sheet again. Only two question marks left. But those were the crucial ones.

_Guards? _

_Destination? _

He reached for another piece of paper. He had gotten Lucas to make a sketch of the floor. His 'pal' had mentioned three guards. One by the elevator, two in front of the room. He didn't know yet which room. _Could be a problem. _But the bigger problem was how to get rid off three armed guards? He wondered what Nina would have done in his shoes. _No! _He knew exactly what she would do, but he wasn't her. He wasn't willing to go that far – not for her and neither for himself. There had to be another way.

He glanced at the list of anesthetics. It shouldn't be impossible to get hold of at least one of those in a hospital, especially not if he had Lucas with him. But he could hardly walk up to the guards and ask them kindly for permission to inject them with a drug and wait for them to pass out without alarming their colleagues downstairs. It would be hard enough to deal with one of them, but three? _Dammit! _He got up and started pacing.

He had to get them alone. One by one. He needed to know which room Nina was held in. If the guys at her door had visual contact with the guard by the elevator he was probably screwed. If not, he had a chance. He could find a way to split them up and take them out one at a time. _That's a big if._ But he couldn't do much about it right now.

Which left him with the second question mark. Their destination. If he managed to get them both past the security and out of the hospital – what then? Where could they go? They wouldn't have a lot of time before someone would notice they were gone and knowing the resources he was up against, he had no doubts there would be roadblocks and mobile units looking for them all too soon. What options did he have? What options would Nina have? Would she be able to be transported? There wasn't much sense in trying to rescue her if she… _Dies in your arms? _He swallowed. _Or even worse, in the back of an ambulance, all alone. _What if he wouldn't even notice until it was too late?

He stopped pacing and sat down again. _That's not gonna happen! _He couldn't afford that kind of thinking. He knew there was a good chance to get her killed, or both of them for that matter. But he also knew that she would prefer dying on the run to dying in prison or being executed.

"No one's gonna die," he said out loud, and the silence that answered him made him shiver. _No one's gonna die. _He just had to find a way to make sure of it.

He turned to the papers on the desk again.


	12. Scene 12

_Between chapters 16 and 17/NCF…_

**Scene 12: Doing It Right**

The waitress handed him the coffee and his change and Nick went to have a seat by the window. There was still plenty of time and he could have gone back to the house and rested a little, but he wanted to go over everything one last time and the silence at Phil's place was killing him. Besides, he hadn't wanted to stay there any longer than necessary. Things were bad enough as they were.

Staring out the window, he thought of the one sheet of paper all his planning had come down to. One sheet of paper that was the key to everything. If things worked out as he had anticipated and planned, they would be free in a couple of hours. If not…

After memorizing it, he had burned everything in the fireplace and then sat down again to write something else. There was a good chance someone would come across Phil's name once his own identity was uncovered - which wouldn't take too long. After today he would be marked as accomplice to a terrorist and traitor, and the last thing he wanted was to have his friend having to pay for it. So he had left him a note. Subtle enough in case someone else found it, clear enough for Phil to understand what he should do if someone showed up at his doorstep. Unfortunately there wasn't more he could do.

He had closed the door behind him and left, walked a few blocks, and then taken the bus into the city. A couple of things on his list had still needed to be taken care of and luckily not much had changed since he had grown up around here. Finding someone who was needy for some money but yet lucid and reliable enough to really do the job Nick would pay them for hadn't been hard. _Not if you know where to look. _Moving on to the second point on his list, he had taken a cab to get him to his next destination, a bit off the center in a quiet area. Here it had taken a good deal of persuasion and cash but in the end he had walked out of the place with what he needed. Driving back to the city once again, he had soon reached his third stop and parked the car a bit further down the street. The shop was still where it had always been, a family business run by a third or fourth generation offspring. The sales assistant had frowned at first, recognizing Nick immediately as someone who normally couldn't afford to shop in his store but had offered his help nonetheless and half an hour later Nick had walked out with a garment bag over his shoulder. Throwing it onto the passenger seat he had driven off, heading towards the hospital.

Now he was sitting with his coffee, just about a block away. He had parked the car where he needed it to be later and walked by the hospital one more time. There was less security around, just one patrol car parked near the main entrance, no officer or agent directly in sight. Lucas had called earlier to tell him he had managed to switch shifts with his friend from post-op. He had also found out which room Nina was lying in. For some reason it was not the one closest to the elevator but another one, further down the hallway, just around the corner. _Out of sight for whoever was standing by the elevator. _Maybe it was Nick's lucky day after all.

He checked his watch again. Half an hour before Lucas' shift would start, fifteen minutes before he had to get going himself. He would register as a visitor at the check-in desk. S_ay you're related to a patient in Maternity Ward, Olivia Harper. She's got folk rolling in there all the time, no one will check. _Then he would take the elevator to the third floor. _They had to take a lot of the patients moved from the fifth floor, so they're swamped in work. No one's gonna care about one more daddy-to-be walking around there_. He had to admit Lucas had thought of everything. _I'm gonna pick you up there and get you up without anyone noticing. _

He sipped his coffee, not for the first time wondering what would happen to Lucas. _No one's seriously gonna believe that he had any idea what this was really about. _No, probably not, but he wouldn't get off scot-free either. And if he had a criminal record…_he might be looking at doing some time. _Nick couldn't say he felt particularly guilty about that. Lucas Treback had been a jerk from day one, and having met him again now, having seen how he lived, he doubted anything had changed. Still, who was he to judge? The truth was he didn't know the guy and he certainly had no right to set him up like he did. But he needed him. His insane plan stood and fell with Lucas.

_It's always about making something right, isn't it, _Nina's words suddenly echoed in his mind. _You're a good guy. You couldn't even do anything bad if you wanted to. _

He grinned to himself. Even leaving aside that he had repeatedly been harboring a fugitive – what he was planning to do today would most likely count as something bad. He would finally manage to prove her wrong.

She was right about the first part though. It was about making things right, in a way at least, and even when it concerned Lucas Treback. He had called the local bank this morning and asked for an account number he had allegedly lost. There wasn't much he remembered about Lucas' family or background, but he knew his mother had always adored him. There was no wrongdoing on Lucas' part in her eyes. And by the time her son would be in trouble, she would find enough money in her account to hire a good lawyer. _Might keep him out of prison._

Nick checked his watch again. Ten minutes.


	13. Scene 13

_Right before chapter 17/NCF…_

**Scene 13: The Good Stuff**

Nick rubbed his knuckles. They still hurt. Strange. He had never hit someone before. He had tried to wrestle once back in school and had some lessons in self-defense years later, but he had never hit someone just like that. That he had done it now and that it was Lucas of all people…it was a bittersweet irony. How often had he wished he could just beat the crap out of that jerk when they had been kids...

The maintenance elevator stopped, snapping him out of his thoughts, and he stared nervously at the door. Checking his appearance one more time then, he tried to relax a little before stepping out into an empty hallway and making his way towards the station room. He knew he wouldn't get there without running into the guards and he could only hope Lucas was right and they had been replaced by the new shift by now. Otherwise they would probably wonder why a stranger was walking around in the cordoned off area, wearing the clothes and the name tag of the same nurse they had cleared earlier.

He rounded the corner in front of him and caught sight of them, standing in front of the room he knew Nina was in. For a second he felt panic surging up his stomach but then one of them nodded a silent greeting his way. _It's okay_, he tried to calm himself. _It's okay. _

He walked up to them with his hands in his pockets, trying to look extremely bored, blocking out all thoughts of the woman behind the door he was moving towards.

"Hi. You got something for me?"

Both guys looked at him in slight confusion.

"One of your fellows promised to send me a magazine up with you guys."

"Sorry, no magazine," the taller one of them shook his head.

"Man…do you have any idea how boring this is? I mean, there's one patient up here and she's pretty much asleep most of the time."

"Well, it's not like we got a lot to…" the second guard started but was cut off by guy number one.

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do about that. We're just all gonna have to do our jobs."

"Right," Nick sighed and turned around to walk back to the station room he had passed in order to get to the guards. "You want some coffee?" he asked over his shoulder. "Gotta warn you though - your pals thought it was too strong."

"No, thanks," the first guy rejected flatly. _So you're the one in command_, Nick thought. _Good to know. _He stretched his neck a bit more, making eye contact with guard number two who shook his head as well but gave him a somewhat friendlier look. _You're my man_.

He entered the station room and sat down, pretending to look at a newspaper that he found on the desk in front of him while he scanned the room out of the corner of his eyes. No medicine cabinet, but a door to his left. For obvious reasons it had been out of the question to ask Lucas where they kept the good stuff, but knowing the nurses working on the floor had to have relatively easy access to the drugs they were supposed to distribute among their patients, he had thought it would be either in the station room or a room connected to it. _Wouldn't want the patients to walk in there and help themselves to some morphine. _

He got up and turned to the filing cabinet, grabbing a chart and flipping through it. Acting as if he had to check something else he moved a bit further until he was sure the guards couldn't see him any longer. He waited a few seconds and then opened the door. _Bingo. _

Putting the chart down he searched through the shelves, finding the anesthetics almost right away. Glad he could count on his memory, he grabbed the first one he remembered from his list. _Syringes, syringes…? _He opened some drawers and soon found them as well. This was almost too easy.

He had to work quickly and at one point he stopped, panicking because he thought he had heard something. But there was nothing and he finished his preparations and hurried to get back into the station room, in the last second remembering to take the chart with him. _Just in case…_

He closed the door behind him and took a second to calm down. His hands felt a bit sweaty and his heart was pounding in his chest. He checked the clock on the wall. He didn't have time for this. He needed to go through with this soon and he still needed to find out if the radio contact between the guards here and the cops on the ground floor was following a regular pattern or not. But first he had to see Nina. He had to know what condition she was. Lucas had told him that she was stable and her transport scheduled for the next morning, so she should be alright. But he needed to see for himself. He needed to see with his own eyes that she was okay. The sound of the gun shots and Nina's cry of pain suddenly echoed through his head and he had to close his eyes for a moment. He had to go and see for himself.

He knelt down and opened the bag Lucas had taken up earlier. Besides a camera it contained two small bottles and Nick quickly filled to plastic cups. Taking a deep breath, he straightened up again and walked out into the hallway.

"Anybody wants some orange juice?"


	14. Scene 14

_Right before and during chapter 18/NCF…_

**Scene 14: Diversion**

He heard voices and glanced over to the guards. They were talking, but not on the radio. Not yet. He couldn't help thinking of all the things that could still go wrong.

_Come on, keep it together_, he pepped himself. _Everything's been fine so far. No reason to panic now. _But he knew what really worried him.

_Jack Bauer. _He should have foreseen that he would show up sooner or later. _Yeah, but why now of all moments? _If he had understood one thing about Bauer than it was never to underestimate the guy. Nina didn't like to talk about him much but when she had cracked that night at his apartment he had gotten a pretty good idea what the man was capable of. _And now you wanna take him on? _he mocked himself. _That's just great. Good luck. _

He rolled his neck from side to side and tried to relax. No matter how dangerous and capable, Bauer was just one man. And once that drug was in his blood he was as helpless as anyone else. _I just needed a little more luck._ He didn't really have a choice anyway, did he?

Lucas was in a storeroom next to the garage, not able to make a move or sound. _Considering that it was my first time, I did a pretty decent job_. Lucas hadn't really been out but dazed enough to allow Nick to hold him down long enough to tie him up.

He checked his cell phone once again. He had made his two calls just about a minute ago from the men's restroom and if the doorman didn't decide to check with someone else everything should be in place when he got down to the parking lot.

At the airport they should be awaiting him by now. He had called around all morning to find a company that had private planes for hire, fit to accommodate a passenger with a medical condition as he had explained. _No, nothing too serious. It's just my wife is pregnant and she's not been feeling too well, so…you know how women are. She got herself a little worked up and wants to get back home as quickly as possible. No, we'll have a doctor with us but I can assure you there's no reason to be worried. I will take full responsibility of course. Yes, you can have that in writing. _The guy he had talked to hadn't been thrilled about it, but in the end the promise of a generous tip had convinced him. _Yes, I'll have all the papers and documents with me when we arrive and I'm gonna have the money transferred to you within the hour._ It hadn't been easy to find something on such short notice and the airport wasn't exactly nearby. In fact, it was way too far away. There was no way they could get there before CTU would have managed to set up roadblocks and check points. But that wasn't the idea anyway. They were just supposed to think he was trying to go there. Considering how far it was from the hospital he doubted they would actually buy it but maybe they would just long enough. Maybe it would at least divert some of their attention for a little while.

He glanced at the clock. In about one minute one of the guards would start talking into his radio. _Time to move._

"Alright," he announced, stepping out into the hallway, "anybody wants anything from the vending machines? And no, I can't offer you any drugs. Gave them all to the guys in the previous shift." Best to have them think he was some wit. Annoying maybe, but harmless. As expected his remark earned him a stern look from guard number one and a smothered grin from his less zealous partner.

"Seriously," he asked in passing, stealing a glance at the plastic cups he had more or less forced onto them earlier. At least one of them was clearly empty. "You want anything? A chocolate bar? A sandwich?" He could only hope it was the right one and that the effect would kick in before it was too late.

"No, thanks man," guard number two declared with a bland smile.

"Suit yourself," Nick muttered, turning the corner and heading for the elevator hall.

_Keep breathing_, he calmed himself, _you can do this. _

He nodded towards the third guard, playing with the change in his pocket and whistling a little melody as he walked up to the vending machine, checking the display for a moment.

"Nah, think I'm gonna go down and get something from the cafeteria. Is that okay?"

"Sure."

He hit the button for the elevator and they waited.

"So, exciting job, huh?" he tried to make some small-talk but then the radio on the guy's shoulder came alive. Through the static Nick could hear the voice of rude guard number one, confirming he and number two were in position and the suspect secured. Nick kneeled down, pretending to lace his shoe.

"This is Flynn," the guard next to him spoke into his radio as well now, "everything's nice and quiet here."

Nick fumbled for one of the syringes in his pocket.

The elevator arrived and the doors opened, and he got up – jamming the needle into the guard's thigh and then quickly moving behind him to place one hand over the guy's mouth and getting hold of whatever he could reach with the other one. He almost expected a loud yell, a cry for help or anything that would alarm his colleagues around the corner, but for some reason it never came. Maybe the guy was just too shocked at first and when he finally did resist the drug was already swimming around in his bloodstream. It only lasted a few seconds, his one hand trying to remove the fingers covering his mouth and the other arm waving through the air. When he stopped moving, Nick let him carefully slide to the floor. He didn't bother with getting the body out of sight, knowing that if somebody came up now he was screwed anyway. His gaze fell on the guard's gun and he hesitated for a second, but then just shook his head.

He straightened up and tried to steady his breath, looking down at his hands. They were shaking a little. _Come on_, he muttered under his breath, making fists to stop the trembling. _One down, two more to go._

He went over to the vending machine again, inserted some coins and pulled out two chocolate bars. He waited another two seconds to get a grip, then headed back towards his two remaining targets. Feeling the syringes in his pocket he once again prayed he wouldn't accidentally inject himself.

"So, is there like anyone among you guys who likes to chat?" he sneered, walking past them to the station room, sure enough not getting any response. He sat down and ripped the plastic off the chocolate, taking a big bite and forcing himself not to stare at the clock or his watch again. This was the worst part. For the next few minutes all he could do was wait. _And if nothing happens?_ If nothing happened he would have to fall back on plan B.

The seconds didn't seem to pass, a minute becoming an eternity. If he could only have drugged the guards right away, put the anesthetic in the orange juice. But the effect would have kicked in slower and given them time to react. This was the best way he had come up with. _Seems your best isn't good enough this time. _

Finally a sound from the hallway, and glancing out Nick saw guard number one making his way to the restroom. _I'll never doubt my luck again. _This was even better than he had hoped. Again in order not to alert the guards, only one of the cups had contained a laxative. And he would have put his money on guard number two being the one to empty his. Instead he had just gotten rid off the taller and more suspicious one of his adversaries, leaving the easier target for him to take out first.

He waited another couple of seconds to make sure nothing would give him away, then he got started.

He opened the door to the other room again and went inside, tipping over the first cabinet he could reach. Glass shattered and the metal frame hit the floor with a loud bang. He let out a little cry, as if he had hurt himself, not loud enough to be heard in the restroom or inside Nina's room where Bauer was still hanging out, but definitely loud enough to alarm the remaining guard in the hallway.

Two or three seconds passed in which Nick stayed completely silent, then he heard footsteps, not in a hurry exactly but coming closer.

"You alright?"

"Yeah," Nick muttered in faked pain, pulling the second syringe out and getting in position. "Just…can you give me a hand, pal?"

"I don't know," he heard guard number two hesitate in the hallway, and he could imagine him glancing over to where he was supposed to stand.

_Come on, you're a nice guy. Helping someone is more important than standing in front of that door. There's no one here but us anyway and I'm just a harmless guy._

Obviously having similar thoughts, the guard showed up in the doorway a moment later.

"What happened?"

"Little accident. Think I cut myself," Nick lied, standing with his back towards the door, somewhat bent forward, holding his one hand as if it was injured.

"Well, I don't know, maybe we should wrap something around it?"

"Yeah," Nick mumbled, waiting until he felt the guard standing next to him. Then he span around and sank the needle into the guy's arm, just a bit below the shoulder.

It took a bit longer this time but again he had been fast enough and no alarming sounds escaped the guard's mouth. There was a little bit of a fight but since they were in a room in the rear of the floor, he didn't have to worry about that. Guard number one was obviously still on the toilet.

He closed the door behind him and was out in the hallway again a moment later, the third syringe ready in his pocket. He could feel the blood pulsing through his veins, the adrenalin being released into his system. He didn't like it.

He got in position outside the men's restroom, ready to take out the last guard out here. _And then I can go in. _He wondered what Bauer was doing in there. He obviously hadn't come to kill Nina, she would be long dead by now if that was the case. Maybe he was still sitting on the chair in the corner? _I could ask him to help me with something_, Nick considered, trying to figure out how to get rid off his last obstacle. He stared across the hallway at the door wishing he could see through it. He had to be grateful that nothing could be heard through those doors but it would be nice to know what he would be walking in on.

The door next to him started moving, interrupting his line of thought. _Remember, it's your lucky day today. _


	15. Scene 15

_During chapter 18/NCF…_

**Scene 15: Surprises**

_Fuck! _

He had tried to grab the man's shoulders from behind and hold him restrained just like he had done with his other victims before, but this time he hadn't been fast enough. Instead the guy had spun around and reached out to get a hold of him, but Nick had shocked himself with a quick reaction and landed his fist in his opponent's face. Clearly taken by surprise, the man had staggered backwards and a second later the drug had kicked in.

His legs already buckling, Bauer had tried to go for his gun but this time Nick had no problems to gain the upper hand. All he had to do was hold him in a tight grip when the agent practically fell into his arms, his powers fading quickly, his body finally turning limp.

_Fuck, _Nick cursed one more time in his head, breathing heavily now. He had just fought Jack Bauer! And although he had no idea how he had done it, he had actually won. Not exactly in a fair game but he couldn't worry about that now.

He turned to Nina for some sort of response, to make sure she had seen it too, that it had really happened. But her head resting on the pillow she had closed her eyes. He released the air in his lungs with a sharp sound and stared at the ceiling above him, taking a moment to pull himself together. Looking down at the unconscious man in his arms then, he couldn't but notice how peaceful his face seemed all of a sudden. When he had first seen him earlier – he still didn't know how he had managed to keep the shocked expression on his own face limited enough not to raise suspicions. Bauer had seemed tired and exhausted, burdened, but there had been something so hard about him. Now he just seemed vulnerable.

Nick took a step back and let the agent slide to the floor, carefully supporting his head in order not to hurt him. _Hurt him? You just punched him in the face! _Not to mention that he had drugged him in the course of helping his wife's murderer escaping. He shook his head and was just telling himself to deal with these thoughts later when a flashback of his recurring dream appeared before his eyes. The one where he was with Nina, dancing in his parents garden, until Bauer showed up, choking Nina by simply glaring at her. The last time he had had that dream, he had positioned himself between the two, shielding Nina from Bauer's eyes. Eyes that had stared at him instead then, accusing him, revealing so much hate but even more pain. He was glad those eyes were closed now and not staring at him. He was glad Bauer hadn't gotten a chance to look at him with full awareness of who he was or what he was doing.

_About to do_, he reminded himself, suddenly becoming aware again that he didn't have much time left. And quickly straightening up again, he took two steps and was by her side, leaning over her just as she opened her eyes.

"You didn't bring me flowers," she stated, her face not revealing any emotion yet.

"Left them in the car," he resorted to joking. "Thought it might be a bit obvious."

He ran his hand over hers, quickly satisfying the need to feel her, to make sure this was real and not just another dream. And finally emotions showed on her face, a sad smile as she looked up into his eyes.

"Are you out of your mind? What are you doing here?"

He swallowed, determined not to let his own emotions take over now.

"Well, I thought I was just gonna drop by and say hello. But now that I see you're awake and well, I guess I'm just gonna take you with me."


	16. Scene 16

_Right after chapter 18/NCF…_

**Scene 16: The last hurdle**

Nick put the 'out of order' sign in place, let the heavy door fall shut behind him and pushed the down button.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, using the keys he had taken from one of the guards to unlock the cuffs around Nina's wrist.

"I'm fine," she dismissed his question. "Besides I wouldn't want to miss this."

"Keep it up with the sarcasm and I might just leave you here," he threatened with a grin, trying to ignore his own worry. _Someone has to believe this is going to work_. If only she didn't look so pale.

"Where do you think we're going now?" she raised an eyebrow. "What's your plan?"

"No time to explain," he stated as the elevator stopped. "You're just gonna have to trust me."

She rolled her eyes and he couldn't but smile when he pushed his back against the door to open it, pulling the bed with him outside. He looked around, then saw what he had been hoping to find.

"And here's our cab."

He pulled the bed a little further, then stopped to turn it around, and Nina lifted her head to see what he was talking about.

"You got to be kidding me."

The hearse was right there, the rear door open and the 'driver' standing next to it with a gurney. _Perfect. _

"What's this?" the guy asked, eyeing Nina skeptically. "You never said –"

"Just help me move her, the rest is none of your business," Nick cut him off. "You get enough money not to ask any questions."

The guy didn't seem happy about it but did as he was told.

"Careful now," Nick reminded him as they lifted Nina from the bed onto the gurney. She didn't make a sound but her face contorted in pain and he had to force himself to look away.

"Alright, I can take it from here," he turned to the guy again, reaching into his sling bag and pulling out an envelope. "You know what to do?"

"Sure."

"Good. Just make sure you're behind me."

Quickly checking the envelope the guy nodded satisfied, then took off the suit jacket and the driver's cap and threw it onto the car roof. Without another word he made his way over to the ambulance he had broken open earlier to get the gurney and Nick darted him another look before focusing on Nina again.

"I was sure to get a ride in one of those sooner or later," she smirked, glancing at the hearse. "I just figured I wouldn't actually get to see it."

He swallowed, looking for a comeback but not finding one.

"Just lay still and try to hold on to something. It might get a bit rough."

He maneuvered her into the rear of the car, avoiding her eyes as long as possible. He didn't want her to see what was probably obvious in his. _What if… _He didn't know what he would do. If he had to drive around in a hearse with her lying dead in the rear… Maybe he would just lose his mind.

The gurney was in place and he leaned back and straightened up.

"Hey," she caught his attention and he knew she had sensed his fear anyway. "Don't worry. Jack didn't get me killed and he really tried. You can't be that bad a driver."

_Great. _Now she was putting up an act for him. Even if she wasn't as worried as him or beyond caring since she didn't have much choice – the fact that she had no control over what happened alone was probably killing her.

He tried to force a confident smile on his face before quickly slamming the door shut. They were running out of time. If they wanted to get off the hospital terrain before someone noticed their absence they had to leave now.

Grabbing the suit jacket and the cap and putting both on before getting onto the driver's seat he glanced over to the ambulance. _No need to worry_, he told himself. _He's done exactly what you asked him to so far. He's not gonna screw up now. _

He started the engine and drove, nervously checking his watch as the car rolled out of the garage and into the fading daylight. It would soon be dark. If they made it out of here it would help them. _Easier to disappear when no one can see you. _

He caught sight of the gate and the doorman and he took a deep breath. This was it. The last hurdle. The last barrier to get past.

He had to force himself not to slow down as the gate kept coming closer and closer. If the doorman got as much as a chance to have a closer look at him, at his face or the scrubs he was wearing underneath the jacket… The sound of the siren was music in his ears. He sighed in relief.

He kept going at the same speed for another moment, pretending he wasn't aware of the ambulance coming up behind him at high speed. Only when he had passed the last chance to get out of the way did he accelerate a little, as if he had just noticed what was going on. The gate opened to let the ambulance through and Nick pulled out of the parking lot just ahead of it. Turning left at the next intersection he checked the rearview mirror and saw their alleged escape vehicle disappear in the other direction, the howling of its siren quickly fading away.

He tilted his head back and breathed in as much air as his lungs could hold, squeezing his eyes shut just for a moment while releasing it again, his entire body trembling.


	17. Scene 17

_After chapter 18/NCF…_

**Scene 17: From Here On**

Her vision became blurry as another wave of nausea hit her and staring at the car ceiling above her Nina tried to keep her breathing steady and calm. _It's okay. _She had come this far, she wouldn't give up now. It was just all the moving around that was getting to her. No surprise really, the doctors had refused to have her being transported for a reason. Not that they cared much about her but it wouldn't look good if they discharged her just to have her die somewhere on the way to L.A. She wasn't supposed to be moved yet, let alone being transported in the back of a car without close medical care. Then again, they had probably left a margin. _They cleared you for tomorrow morning which means they're convinced it'll be safe by then._ Which meant she had a reasonable chance now, and reasonable was good enough for her most of the time. She wouldn't have made it anywhere if she had always waited for things to be safe.

She blinked and fought the nausea a couple more seconds before her vision finally cleared again, her stomach revolted a little less. _It's alright. _She would feel better as soon as the car stopped. As soon as they arrived wherever he was taking her.

She thought about asking and opened her mouth but then decided not to push her luck. Speaking felt like too much of a provocation of her body and throwing up really wouldn't do her any good right now. Besides what difference did it make if she knew or not? Nothing she could do anyway.

She swallowed cautiously and closed her eyes for a moment. She still couldn't believe she was actually getting away again. When she had come to in the hospital, she had been so sure to either die there or in prison. That her client would send someone to get rid off her or that she would be incarcerated again and eventually executed. And knowing that she was too tired to play any longer, too tired to wait it out and hope for another chance at a deal or anything that could buy her some more years of the same, she had hoped for the quicker solution. If Jack had tried again, she really wouldn't have minded much. But Jack hadn't even threatened her and no assassin had showed at her hospital bed either. Instead Nick had come for her. The thought of him looking for her - she had been prepared for that, although she had hoped he would just believe she was dead and leave it at that. The thought of him finding her – she had known it wasn't impossible considering the close proximity and his best friend being a doctor, but again she had hoped the world wasn't that small a place. Apparently it was, however, and when she had seen him, felt his hand on hers…

She opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling again. A part of her had been so angry at him. For letting her drag him down with her. For getting himself in the middle of her mess again. For probably getting himself killed this time. She hadn't thought there was a way for him to get out of there, not to mention a way for him to get her out with him. She still couldn't believe he had. She had seen him taking out Jack, seen the unconscious guard in the hallway, heard Nick giving orders to the guy who had waited for them in the garage – it still didn't want to sink in.

The car jolted and she snapped out of her thoughts, feeling so tired and lightheaded. She should probably try to stay awake, shouldn't she? _Just a little longer. _She doubted Nick had planned for them to drive all night and wherever they were going would be fine as long as she could lie down and rest properly. She wondered if Phil would be there. _His friend the doctor. _He had already saved her once. _Yeah, and if it had been your call you would have killed him in return_, she acknowledged. Maybe Nick should handle all the decision-making and planning from now on. He seemed to be better at it.

She sighed, her mind wandering back to Phil though. This was what confused her even more than Nick's sudden talents for close combat and covert operations, she realized. The fact that Nick had involved other people in this. _His best friend. _There was no doubt that Phil was the one who had helped Nick, and now it wouldn't take long for CTU to identify and go after both of them. She knew Nick was ready to abandon everything in his life, apparently even to risk everything - for her. But she hadn't thought he would drag his friend into this. She hadn't thought he would ever risk someone else's life, especially not someone who was… _Innocent. _She wondered what she had done to him.


End file.
